In recent years I've a had a shift in view around what exercise we need - is yoga enough? And well,  I think we need to do more than yoga as we age, particularly women. Through menopause and beyond our exercise and activity needs to be pushed a little to counter the effects of hormone change.  If you've been in class with me in the last years, you will have enjoyed the integration of weights to address issues of bone density. Bone density isn't the only reason to integrate more weight work into daily life though. Hormone changes through menopause and with aging in general impose other impacts. Loss of power and strength and weight gain  are issues that are also well addressed by the right exercise and to generally help us age well and maintain independence.

Sorry to say, but research suggests we need to lift some big weights regularly. Weights in the range that you could only do 5 reps and we need to push ourselves with some high intensity cardio.

You don't need to sign up for the gym and give up yoga, but perhaps it's worth keeping some heavier weights by your side and have a play around your yoga practice. Or putting 5kg in your back pack and walking up some hills. Or run after that stick/ ball with the dog. Challenging ourselves with heavy weights stimulates our muscles, nerves and brain in ways that 'toning' practices don't.  High intensity exercise, those little anaerobic bouts also bring great benefit for our metabolism and brain. 

My thinking is what do I want to be doing when I'm 90.. do it now – jump, run, stand on 1 leg, exercise on the ground. Use it or lose it. I want to be independently living until my end and this is what makes it possible.